News Archive
2004-2002

November, 2004.

London launch for dental practice management diploma

Following the successful launch by UMD Professional of the Institute of Leadership and Management's Diploma in Management for dental practice managers in Birmingham, UMD Professional are now taking bookings for the Diploma course starting in London in January.

The Diploma course provides 'blended' learning - a combination of bi-monthly participative workshops, distance learning and assignments which take place within the dental practice itself.

In developing the qualification, UMD Professional has built on its successful management training programmes for dentists and practice managers. This qualification focuses on practical management and provides a framework for training in the areas of planning, communications, marketing, finance and people management.

'This Diploma has been designed to be as relevant as possible to practice today and to add value not just to the role of the practice manager but also the practice itself. We feel it to be a valuable addition to dental management qualifications' said Fiona Stuart-Wilson, director of UMD Professional.

The course will run in London on the following dates in 2005: 26 January (induction), 9 February, 6 April, 8 June, 10 August, 5 October and 7 December.

For further information, please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

October, 2004.

Hands-on negotiating skills course - new dates announced.

UMD Professional has announced new dates for its "Hands-on Negotiating Skills" course for dentists in the new year following the sell-out of its first series of courses this Autumn. The two-day weekend course is facilitated by Fiona Stuart-Wilson and Mike Grace and has been designed to give dentists practical hands-on experience of one-to-one and group negotiation.

The additional courses will run next year in London on 21 and 22 January, Southampton on January 28 and 29, and Leicester on February 4 and 5, because of the practical nature of the workshop numbers are limited.

The fee for the course is £399 inc VAT and it provides 13 hours of verifiable CPD.

For booking details, please contact Penny Parry on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to info@umdprofessional.co.uk.

February, 2004.

UMD Professional notches up 200th practice to achieve IIP

UMD Professional and Ian Broderick, Principal of Horton Dental Practice Surrey enjoyed a double celebration this month, when Ian's practice became the 200th dental practice to achieve the Investors in People Standard through UMD Professional's unique Hands-on Management workshop programme.

Horton Dental Practice achieved the Standard within a few months of starting the programme, and was part of a group of Surrey dental practices undertaking the programme which is run in England and Wales with the assistance of Business Link funding.

The workshop programme provides 'hands-on' management training through the use of a 'phantom practice', and has proved highly effective in helping dental practices in England and Wales to improve their management and in achieving IIP.

'The programme not only enabled us to achieve the Investors in People Standard in a relatively short time, but also provided an enjoyable and effective training in business management which dealt specifically with the issues facing owners of dental practices.' said Ian Broderick.

UMD Professional has secured additional financial assistance to offer this successful programme again in many regions in 2004.

For further information, please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

February, 2004.

New Practice Management Qualification to be launched

UMD Professional has launched a new practice management qualification designed for dental practice managers. The Level 4 Introductory Diploma in Management is awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management, a leading management organisation, and has been designed to provide participants with practical management skills as well as a thorough grounding in management theory.

In developing the Introductory Diploma, UMD Professional has built on its successful management training programmes for dentists and practice managers. This qualification focuses on practical management and provides a thorough grounding in the areas of planning, communications, marketing, finance and people management. Assessment is continuous and carried out through practical practice-based assignments.

The Introductory Diploma course comprises six one-day workshops held over an eight month period. Programmes will be running in London and Birmingham from April, and a long-distance learning option will be available from the summer.

For further information, please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

September, 2003.

Dental nursing NVQ centre to be launched this autumn

An alternative route to dental nursing NVQs is being launched this autumn by UMD Professional and Smile-on Ltd.

The new centre will enable practices to train and assess their own nurses in the practice using a unique e-learning package on CDRom for the knowledge elements of the training. This allows nurses to learn the necessary theory and knowledge at their own pace and at times convenient to them and the practice.

UMD Professional is providing an assessment centre service for practices that wish to assess their own nurses. This means that they provide all registration and certification procedures, assessor training and quality assurance.

This route can prove extremely cost-effective for many practices.

For further information, please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

April, 2003.

New Dental Business Management Qualification Launched.

UMD Professional launched a new dental business management qualification at the BDA Conference in April, designed specifically for dentists and senior practice managers. The Executive Diploma in Management is awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management, a leading management organisation, and the dental business management qualification has been designed to provide participants with practical business skills invaluable in running a dental practice today. The Executive Diploma is the equivalent of a level 5 NVQ, considered to be the same as a postgraduate qualification. Successful completion of the Diploma provides eligibility for membership of the Institute (MInstLM).

The programme leading to the Diploma has been based on UMD Professional's successful Hands-On Management series. The Diploma focuses on business management and strategy rather than the administrative aspects of dental practice. The business areas the qualification covers include planning and resource management, organizational communication, financial management and effective human resource management. Assessment is continuous and carried out through assignments and a major consultancy project carried out within the practice, making it as relevant and practical to dental business management in practice as possible.

The programme comprises ten one or two-day workshops held over a fifteen-month period, and provides 117 hours of verifiable CPD for dentists. Programmes will be running in Plymouth and London from June and September.

For more information, please call Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070.

New Subsidies for Law Firms.

Risk management is a serious issue for solicitors at the moment, particularly with indemnity premium renewal a mere six months away. Lexcel, the Law Society's practice management standard, can help firms manage risk more effectively and reduce their premiums.

UMD Professional has launched a new series of workshops to help law firms work towards both Lexcel and the Investors in People Standard. This approach means that in many areas firms can benefit from significant Business Link funding which greatly reduces the workshop fees.

The programme which is initially running in Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, has been designed to help firms to achieve both standards quickly and effectively.

For more details please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson or Peter Warner on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail to fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

January, 2003.

Dentist Hands-on Management Programme now in its fifth year.

This year sees the start of the fifth successful year for this unique programme and UMD Professional is delighted to have secured further funding in several areas of the UK for dentists wishing to participate in the workshop programme. Programmes are starting in Leicestershire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire in April. There will be programmes in other areas of the country later in the year; for more details please contact Penny Parry on 020 8255 2073.

100% Success for Architect's Programme in RIBA Southern Region.

UMD Professional are celebrating the achievement of the Investors in People Standard by all of the participants in the pilot programme of its innovative Hands-on Management programme in RIBA Southern Region within months of commencing the programme. One of the participants, Berman Guedes Stretton, is the first architectural practice to achieve Investors in People in Oxfordshire.

UMD Professional has secured additional financial assistance to offer the programme again in the Southern Region. For further information, please contact Fiona Stuart-Wilson on 020 8255 2070 or by e-mail on fiona@umdprofessional.co.uk.

November, 2002.

UMD Professional reaches the finals of the National Training Awards for dental management programme.

UMD Professional was selected as a finalist in the 2002 National Training Awards for its innovative dental "Hands-On Management" programme in which some 200 dental practices have participated over the last three years. The programme has recently been extended to cover other professional practices including vets and architects.

The National Training Awards are universally recognised as the number one training award in the UK and are given to organisations and individuals who have achieved lasting excellence and success through carrying out exceptionally effective training. This year the award attracted more than 1000 entries from all over the UK.

UMD Professional was proposed for an award by the Learning and Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight where 26 dental practices have achieved the Investors in People Standard by using this unique "Hands-On Management" approach.

UMD Professional was presented with a finalist's trophy at a ceremony at the Banqueting House in London on 14th November, 2002.

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